1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data transfer on a network. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus to facilitate direct transfer of data between a data device and a network connection.
2. Related Art
Modern computing systems, coupled with the Internet, allow computer users to access a seemingly limitless supply of data. Typically, the computer user accesses data on the Internet using a data terminal such as a web browser. This data terminal, in turn, communicates with one or more applications such as web servers to retrieve the data.
These applications, however, can encounter performance problems when multiple data terminals simultaneously access the same server or when high bandwidth applications such as database backups are running. Simultaneous access by multiple data terminals causes a significant amount of data motion between the application and the data device supplying or receiving the data. Typically, the application receives a request from a data terminal to supply data to the data terminal. In response to a request, the application locates the proper data device, copies the data into the application's data space, and then sends the data within transmission control protocol (TCP) or user datagram protocol (UDP) packets to the data terminal.
Data can also be moved in the opposite direction, with data within TCP or UDP packets originating at the data terminal for delivery to a data device. This data is first received into the application's data space, and then the application moves the data to the data storage device or other device needing the data.
Copying data into and out of the application's data space during these data transfer operations is time consuming and uses a significant amount of the bandwidth available to the application and other applications, which may be running on the same computing device.
What is needed is a method and an apparatus that facilitates moving data between a data device and a data terminal without the disadvantages listed above.